


greed

by pasupare



Category: Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood & Manga
Genre: Fluff, Follows Canon, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-08
Updated: 2019-01-09
Packaged: 2019-10-06 14:48:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,190
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17347184
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pasupare/pseuds/pasupare
Summary: Pre-Promised Day. Ed voices some thoughts he has about Ling.





	1. stargazing

**Author's Note:**

> This takes place in Resembool on their way to Central... I don't know why they're chilling out there, I guess Ed's waiting on Winry to finish fixing his automail or something. Anyway, take it

“Y’know, for somebody who’s supposed to be the embodiment of Greed, you don’t really take a lot.”

Golden hair shifted in the grass as bright eyes of the same color turned toward the sky. Out in the pastures of Resembool laid the young Fullmetal Alchemist with the would-be emperor of Xing by his side. The dark sky, filled with billions of blazing stars held the attention of Edward Elric.

“Huh?” Ling, pulled his torso up, supported by his elbow to face his companion.

“I just mean,” the stars continued to enrapture the blonde, “you don’t ask for a lot. Well--aside from food,” fondly, Ed laughed. “I just think it’s weird that you handle Greed so well.”

“Ed, I’m literally trying to become the ruler of the largest empire in the world,” Ling’s face betrayed a sense of confusion, “How is that not greedy?”

Ed finally tilted his head to face the Xingese prince, “Well, yeah, but you always say it’s for your people, right? Your clan? You don’t really seem that interested in it for the power.”

Ling’s head leaned back as he laughed, “You’re too trusting, Ed.” Ling looked back down at the blonde with the kind of sly smirk that one might assume was coming from his greedy counterpart, “How do you know I’m not lying? Maybe I do want all the power to myself.”

Ignoring the taunt, Ed turned back toward the stars and hummed in response, “No, I don’t think so. You care too much.” Carefully choosing his words Ed reminisced, “Besides, if you were lying about the people you care about, you wouldn’t have been so upset over Lan Fan.”

“Who’s to say I wasn’t acting?”

“You’re not _that_ good of an actor,” Ed laughed out his response, while Ling placed his hand on his chest in feigned-offense, mouthing an “ _Ouch_.”

Running his fingers through golden bangs, Ed spoke, “I don’t really know where I was going with this anyway… It’s just--the more I get to know you, the less greedy you seem.”

Ling laid his head back down on the grass as he considered Ed’s words. “You know, Greed tells me that wanting to protect people is greedy, too.”

Ed’s features twisted in disbelief, “Okay, now that’s bullshit.”

Laughing, Ling continued, “No, really. He does say that. And I get it.” Ling’s smile faded a bit, “You really can’t protect everyone. You can only take care of those you care about, and hope that they do the same for those that _they_ care about. Asking for more than that really is greedy.”

This time, it was Ed’s turn to sit up, using his left hand to prop up his upper-half, “Well then,” voiced raised a bit higher than he intended, Ed rebutted, “I’m greedy as hell, too!”

Ling’s hand moved to cover his mouth as he burst out into laughter. Still recovering from the amusement, Ling noted, “Greed really liked that one.” Despite his earlier outburst, Ed mirrored Ling’s grin. “Besides, like you said, Ed, I’m _very_ greedy when it comes to food,” Ling sobered his face and raised his eyebrows for emphasis.

Not-so-gracefully, Ed flopped back down on the grass. “Yeah, but-” speaking sooner than he was ready, Ed paused in thought before he continued, “You don’t ask for the kind of stuff Greed always goes on about wanting. Like ‘money, sex, power!’” Ending the last part in a mocking voice, Ed rolled his eyes. “You’re not like a _normal_ kind of greedy.”

A soft smile spread on Ling’s face as he turned toward Ed whose golden eyes were looking back up at the sky. Ling hummed a bit in thought as he absentmindedly gazed upon his friend before replying, “I think I’m plenty greedy, Edward Elric.”

Slightly surprised at the use of his full name, Ed turned back toward Ling in confusion, “What’s that supposed to mean?”

Looking away from Ed’s blinding eyes, Ling replied, “Oh, nothing,” he was fully enthralled by those brilliant stars, refusing to let his friend get another glimpse at his colored features, even in the dark, “Just that there’s a lot that I want that I know I can’t have.” Words left unspoken.

Focusing on his friend a little too long in contemplation, Ed finally turned his attention back toward the sky as well, “Yeah, well, you and me both, man.”


	2. confessing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ed's supposed to be the emotionally closed off one, but Ling isn't so keen on talking about his feelings either.

Having left Resembool, Greed and his entourage begrudgingly continued their over-extended camping trip. Looking for a place to settle down before the sky got too dark, Ed was left alone with the homunculus while Darius and Heinkel went into town to restock supplies. Rarely speaking aside from the occasional complaint from Greed, Ed took it upon himself to bring up what had been on his mind.

“Hey, Greed, were you listening last night?” Ed asked rhetorically, knowing full-well Greed _always_ listened.

“Unfortunately. Sorry, kid, but that sappy crap isn’t really my thing,” Greed scrunched his face up in disgust as he tried to wave the memory away.

“What d’you mean ‘sappy’?” The blonde was taken aback, even though he expected the rude commentary, “We were just talking.”

“Oh, so you mean going out stargazing with the prince to talk about your feelings _wasn’t_ supposed to be sappy? My bad,” Greed finished his sarcastic comment with an unimpressed glare.

“That wasn’t- That’s not what we were doing! We were just,” Ed looked away, flustered from the teasing, “talking. That’s all. But then he wouldn’t even look at me for the rest of the night, and now I’ve had to deal with your sorry-ass all day,” letting out a frustrated huff, Ed turned back toward Greed, a worried expression on his face, “Has he said anything to you?”

“Oh, he’s said _plenty_ to me. And I gotta say, I don’t think I like sharing this body with a teenager anymore,” Greed grimaced at his own predicament.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

The homunculus’s hand covered his face in exacerbation, “You two can never just _say_ what you want. It’s embarrassing to watch, honestly. If you want something, you should just take it,” preaching his own ideals, the wide, familiar grin spread on Greed’s face as he lowered his hand.

“Yeah, well, that’s easy for you to say.” Ed turned away once again, annoyed the conversation wasn’t going anywhere. Suddenly, a thought occurred to him, and Ed eagerly posed, “Hey, wait. You said Ling wants something, right? That he wouldn’t say? What was it?”

Greed rolled his eyes at the attentive look Ed was giving him, then shook his head, “Nuh-uh. No way, kid. That’s something you gotta talk to the prince about yourself.”

“But you were just complaining that you wish he’d say it! So why can’t you tell me?” The alchemist was getting a little more than frustrated at the redundancy.

“Because,” Greed gave Ed a serious look, “I’m not so fond of spilling the secrets of my ticket to the throne to some melodramatic teen. ‘Sides, _I’m_ not a narc,” Greed pledged, high and mighty.

“Then, at least let me talk to him,” Ed pleaded.

Greed shot Ed a look of betrayal, “No, that’s not fair! It’s my turn.”

“Quit being such a greedy bastard.”

“I _can’t_.”

Understanding he was left at a standstill with the homunculus, Ed dropped the conversation. It was bad enough that Ling was avoiding him, but now he couldn’t stop his bubbling frustrations from trying to converse with the homunculus. Ed just wished Darius and Heinkel would hurry up.

\---

The sound of a low breeze passing through the trees mixed with faint humming was the first thing Ed heard when he stirred from his sleep. It was still nighttime, and Ed thought for a split moment that he was dreaming until he realized the quiet melody was coming from the one person in their group who barely slept.

“Greed, ‘s that you?” Still fighting off his sleep, Ed hardly noticed he was slurring his words.

The humming stopped.

“No.”

Ed could hear leaves shift across the dying fire from him. Struggling to sit up, the half-asleep blonde rubbed his eyes to better focus them. “Ling?”

While Ling hummed his affirmation, Ed noticed he was looking away, toward anything but the alchemist right across from him. He seemed uncomfortable. “Sorry if I woke you,” Ling muttered.

“No, it’s fine.”

The two sat in an awkward silence for what seemed like hours, refusing to look each other in the eyes. Ed stifled a yawn while contemplating what to say. Finally braving the unpleasant silence, Ed started, “Hey, Ling, can we-”

“I know what you were talking with Greed about,” Ed was taken aback by the blunt confrontation. He was about to apologize until Ling continued, “You probably still wanna ask, huh?”

Ed considered Ling’s remark before agreeing, “Yeah. Look, I’m sorry I tried to ask Greed, though. I should’ve just waited for you to…” He trailed off, not really sure how to end the thought.

“I don’t mind,” Ling finally glanced toward Ed with an apologetic smile, “I was acting kinda weird anyway, huh? I didn’t mean to worry you.”

Ed offered a useless, “It’s fine,” while he waited patiently for Ling to consider what he wanted to say.

Finally, Ling took a deep breath, “Let’s go talk… Somewhere else,” eyeing the snoring chimerae on either side of him, Ling got up.

“Alright,” Ed complied as he pushed himself off the ground, willing away the sleep from his body.

Ed followed Ling as he started making his way through the woods until he stopped just far enough that they could still see a glimpse of the fire. Ling sat down with his back against a tree and Ed settled with sitting a few feet across from him, not wanting to encroach on Ling’s space.

Ling looked down at his hands as they rested on his lap, “You know how you were saying that my reason for wanting to be emperor doesn’t seem greedy?”

“Yeah. I still think that; since it’s for your clan and all.”

“It’s not _just_ for my clan though,” Ling spoke slowly as he chose his words, “I really do love my country. There’s a lot about it that’s messed up, but that only makes me want to try harder. There’s so much I want to change about it that I can’t do unless I’m emperor.”

Ling ran fingers through his bangs as he forced out a laugh, “You know me, though. I’m not the kind of person that wants to be revered by his ‘subjects.’” Ling placed his hand on his heart as he spoke fondly, “And he’ll be the last one to admit it, but I don’t think Greed is that kind of person either. It’s better to have people close to you who you can trust, than those who fear you and are just waiting for you to die off.” Sobering his features again, Ling continued, “It’d be nice if our politics were more relaxed, though--I wish I could have my way without having to play into the role, but I can’t.”

Not sure where Ling’s line of thought was meant to lead, Ed continued listening intently.

“There’s so much that I want that I can only have if I’m emperor, but there’s so much that I want that I can only have if I’m _not_ emperor,” Ling’s downward expression looked pained as he admitted his inner turmoil. “And so, I have to weigh out my options--and obviously saving my clan and helping Xing is what’s most important--but it’s hard to just accept it once I consider what I’d be giving up.” Ling glanced back up at his companion with a look in his eyes that Ed couldn’t quite identify, “Sometimes, Ed, when I-” Ling cut himself off before turning his eyes back toward the ground, “Sometimes… I can’t help thinking I’d rather just throw it all away. Just run away from everything and stay here in Amestris.”

Ed wasn’t sure what to say--if he should say anything at all. All Ed could think to do was reach out and hug Ling, because that looked like the one thing the prince needed the most right now. But he couldn’t even do that. In fear of the unknown, Ed settled with the silence that beckoned Ling to continue.

Hand on his forehead, Ling seemed so _tired_ , “But I could never do that. I owe everything to my clan, and even _thinking_ about abandoning them makes me feel so… Disgusting. I feel like such an awful person for even having those thoughts, yet I keep entertaining the ‘what if’s,” Ling let out a pained laugh.

Unable to resist the urge any longer, Ed grabbed Ling’s shoulders, shaking him slightly, “You’re not a bad person for wanting things, Ling. It’s your actions that count,” considering Ling’s implications further, Ed added, “What is it that you even want so bad that you can’t have as an emperor?”

There was a long pause as Ling refused to meet those burning, golden eyes that bore so deep into him. He was scared that if he looked up while he mentally answered Ed’s question, that he would lose control of the tears that were pushing so desperately against his eyes. How could he even answer Ed’s question? He wanted freedom, he wanted relief, he wanted simplicity, he wanted a _lot_ of things. There was absolutely no single, comprehensive answer to Ed’s question. Yet, as Ling’s eyes finally trailed to meet Ed’s, there was only one word he could manage to mutter upon seeing Ed’s bright features twisted into such worry over his friend.

“ _You_.”

Breathless, all Ed was able to push out was a disbelieving “Wha-” before he realized he wasn’t quite sure he remembered any words at all anymore. All he could do was stare at Ling, wide-eyed and astonished, hands still on Ling’s shoulders.

Ling, himself, was blushing furiously at his own confession and took in a deep, shaky breath before looking away from Ed’s gaze. Ed noticed that Ling had been shaking under his hold, not even realizing until he heard it in Ling’s voice. Suddenly very conscious of his own hands, Ed slowly let go to give Ling some space.

“I wasn’t going to tell you. Ever.” The insecurity was obvious in Ling’s voice as he spoke, “I mean, what’s the point? Even if you--for some reason--were even _willing_ , I can’t have that kind of relationship as an emperor.” Ling placed a hand over his mouth in a failed attempt to cover his flushed face and muttered, “There’s all kinds of complications with that.”

The first thing Ed was able to utter was a baffled “Oh.” He mentally kicked himself for his absolute lack of verbal dexterity in such a delicate situation, but finally attempted to, instead, say, “Ling I-”

“And the _only_ reason I’m even able to say this to you is because it would never work out anyway.” This was it. The tears were definitely coming.

“Ling, hold on a minute let me-”

“Even if you felt the same way about me, it would only make everything that much more painful, so it’d just be better if you forgot,” head turned as far away as possible, Ling’s breaths were coming out short and unsteady, forewarning the fast-approaching tears.

Without warning, Ed reached out to cup Ling’s cheeks in his hands, turning his face towards Ed’s own, “Would you just let me talk!”

Wide-eyed and a bit speechless, Ling slowly nodded his head against Ed’s grip.

Letting out a sigh of relief, Ed looked into Ling’s deep, brown eyes, “I know you said you didn’t want to hear it, but it’s not fair that you get to tell me how you feel about me and then expect me to just shut up about it. Because I really, _really_ like you Ling.” As Ling’s eyes grew wider, Ed suddenly realized how anxious he was too. To steady his nerves, he rested his forehead against Ling’s and let out a deep breath as he closed his eyes, “So I can’t just forget what you said, okay?” Opening his eyes again, Ed steadied his expression. He searched Ling’s eyes for any sign of hope and caught on immediately once he found it, “You’re stuck with me now, asshole. I’m gunna make this work, I promise.”

And with that declaration, Ling couldn’t hold back anymore. Tears started to flow from those brown eyes that were suddenly filled with trust--absolute faith in the alchemist's words. “Edward Elric, you’re such a dumbass,” was all Ling could manage before he ducked his head to wipe at his tears.

Ed moved his hands to Ling’s back as he held onto the boy who had been at the forefront of his mind for the past six months. Resting his chin on top of Ling’s head, Ed retorted, “I guess I’m _your_ dumbass now, huh?”

Ling let out a laugh that had almost been lost in the sobs. They stayed like that until Ling had let all of his tears run dry, and lifted his face as he wiped away the last of it. Ling’s face was red and puffy from his show of catharsis, but it only made him all the more beautiful when he smiled, “I didn’t take you for such a romantic, Ed.”

“Oh, I’m full of surprises,” Ed said jokingly, but lifted his left hand to wipe at Ling’s cheek. Ling let out a laugh and leaned into the touch as Ed rested his forehead against Ling’s once again. “‘M sorry I made you upset,” Ed muttered, unable to look away from Ling.

Ling wrapped his arms around Ed’s neck, and let out an airy laugh, “As long as you keep your promise, I think I can forgive you.”

“I wouldn’t make a promise that I don’t plan to keep,” were the last words Ed managed to say before Ling’s lips were on his. It was uncomfortably warm--and awkward to boot--but it couldn’t have been any better. Ed had no idea what he was doing, but he didn’t care, because Ling Yao was kissing him and that’s all he had been thinking about this whole, damn, cross-country trip. Ling was still embarrassed over his earlier display of emotions, but with how Ed was pulling him closer, he could barely even remember why he had been crying in the first place. It was a short kiss, but the euphoria didn’t end when they pulled away.

Both were still shaken up from the delicacy of their confessions, and it definitely showed on their faces. But Ed ran his fingers through silky, black bangs, and Ling placed another kiss on eager lips and it was obvious their nerves were the least of their concerns.

When Ling looked into Ed’s reassuring, golden eyes, he couldn’t help but fully believe that it would all be okay. Edward Elric had never failed him before, and he wasn’t about to start.

“I guess you _are_ a little greedy,” Ed laughed against Ling’s lips, savoring the proximity, “but, maybe I am, too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tag yourself, I'm Greed cringing at how sappy this is!! I actually had to stop writing like five times because I was embarrassing myself with this, but I did it. You may ask why Ed and Ling are so focused on their relationship problems when the Promised Day is literally like... a day away probably and all I gotta say is that's a plot hole babey!


End file.
